Aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has collaborated with IIT-Kharagpur to set up a Faculty Chair at the premier institute to conduct applied research and tackle multi-disciplinary problems in the field of aerospace technology and its applications.
An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed last week in this regard by Bangalored-based HAL with the institute's department of aerospace engineering, Director, IIT Kharagpur P P Chakrabarti said.
The HAL Chair will be responsible for carrying out research in various areas related to aerospace technologies, facilitating technical consultancy, training programs and addressing other mutually agreed activities relevant to HAL.
The chair will also initiate new academic training programmes, identify and initiate specific research and development at IIT-KGP in the specific technical areas and provide technical consultancy to HAL.
It would also facilitate development of training programmes and training modules including mentoring and coaching of HAL personnel for knowledge update and capacity building, he added.
The intention is to promote R&D and academic work in new and emerging technologies in aerospace industry focusing in the field of radar, electronic warfare, avionics and aerospace systems.
"A strong research base already exists at IIT-Kharagpur, in areas of direct relevance to the future programmes of HAL and this tie-up will be mutually beneficial," Chakrabarti said.
HAL has already established three chairs at IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Kanpur and the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bangalore.
It is also planning to establish a Chair at IIT-Bombay shortly, sources said.